1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise machine for performing anaerobic or aerobic exercises, which is designed to be installed rapidly in such a way as to ensure that a minimum amount of space is completely available for performing a training session both in an environment provided for sports training and in a home environment, even when the space available for the machine is limited. The present invention also relates to a multi-station exercise machine, comprising a plurality of training modules, each of which can be arranged with respect to the other modules depending on the requirements for management of the space within the environment in which the machine is installed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of exercise machines for performing anaerobic exercises, which are generally equipped with a counterweight load group that can be operated by an operating device connected to the load by a cable wound around a plurality of pulleys so as to define a predetermined path, it is known to isolate the load group with a grill or with some other safety screening device. The same also applies to so-called cardiovascular machines which are designed for performing aerobic exercises and where the load group, which is normally electrified, exchanges power cyclically with the user by using an operating device which in the case of running machines is an endless belt, in stepper machines and elliptical machines comprises two footboards, and in exercise bicycles comprises two pedals. In these cases the operating device is separated from the load group by a protective housing in order to prevent traumatic injury or electrocution.
Examples of anaerobic or aerobic machines with this type of protective system are widely found in any gymnasium since these protective devices have been known for a long time and the assigned herein has also manufactured them for some time. Further detailed information in connection with the above may be found at the Internet site www.technogym.com which illustrates the machines manufactured by the assignee and in particular the counterweight machines in the product lines “Selection” and “Biostrength” for anaerobic training and the latest machine “Excite” for aerobic/cardiovascular training.
It should be noted that each of the machines in the three abovementioned product lines has, in addition to a considerable weight, also a respective work or training zone which is contained inside an ideal volume which has a predetermined form and is able to assume varying proportions depending on the physical attributes of the exercising user. This ideal volume has a form and extension which can be easily calculated on the basis of the type of movement which the user must perform in order to carry out the exercises. Obviously, this volume comprises the minimum working volume within which the user is able to access the machine freely and perform predetermined movements, such that he/she is able to experience the exercising activity in a positive manner in that it is reasonably devoid of constraints. Therefore, in the case where two machines—which may also be identical—must be arranged alongside each other, the minimum training volumes of the two machines must be kept suitably separate from each other in order to avoid interference.
The question of identifying the work zone and the corresponding service zone, such that the former can be fully used by a user during training and the latter is suitably isolated, is therefore particularly important at the time of installation and during use of the machine and, therefore, poses serious problems for the person carrying out installation. In fact, it should be commented that the space which is normally available is very limited and, therefore, it is difficult to imagine an exercise machine capable of being installing in a predetermined location within a home, or in the vicinity of another machine, being certain that the space reserved for the two zones, i.e., the work zone and service zone, has the appropriate dimensions. To this end, in order to avoid having to reorganize again at a later date each installation layout—also with some difficulty owing to the considerable amount of weight involved—the best option is to follow the manufacturers instructions who indicated the necessary conditions for correct installation and, therefore, the distance which must be maintained between predetermined points of the machine and the walls of the room or between these points and those of a machine alongside which it is to be located. Obviously it can be easily imagined that the smaller the space available, the more difficult it is to perform installation and, therefore, the greater the amount of time required and the cost of the operation. Therefore, the outcome is unfavourable both for the customer, who wastes more time and money than would be reasonable to devote to installation of an exercise machine, and for the installation engineer who, at the end of a working day, will have installed only a limited number of machines.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an exercise machine which is devoid of the above-mentioned drawbacks and which would have a work zone or work volume of predetermined dimensions so as to ensure a minimum space completely available for performing a training session in accordance with the medical/sports program in question.
A further object of the present invention is that the machine be low-cost and allows installation of the machine rapidly by a person with little or no experience in installing gym equipment and without the need for measuring instruments.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a machine with which it is possible to separate the work zone from the service zone with the load unit, so as to prevent unintentional interference with the latter in a simple and inexpensive manner.
Another object is to provide a machine that would allow association of electrical equipment of varying nature with the machine.
An object of the present invention is also to provide a multi-station exercise machine, equipped with a plurality of exercise machines, each of which is devoid of the abovementioned drawbacks and which for this purpose is equipped with low-cost equipment able to ensure that the machine in question can be easily installed in keeping with the respective work zone/volume, so that the latter, within each station of the multi-station machine, can be freely accessed and used by a user during training and both before and after training.
A yet further object of the present invention is that the equipment should be such that the machine can be easily incorporated in the corresponding multi-station machine, that the multi-station machine may be regarded as a set of minimum training modules which can be combined in a modular manner, that it is low-cost and that the machine itself can be easily and rapidly installed in such a manner as to ensure that the spaces occupied by the machine are sufficient for performing training sessions correctly in accordance with the medical/sports program in question.